County Officials Hint At '87 Tax Hike It May Be Avoided, But It's Too Early To Tell, Hartzell Says

November 14, 1985|by PEG RHODIN, The Morning Call

Three county leaders hinted yesterday that a tax increase may face the residents of Northampton County in 1987.

But County Executive Eugene Hartzell said he and his administration "are working as hard as we can" to avoid a boost in real estate levies.

"It's too early to tell," Hartzell said at the taping of a Community Contact program which will be aired at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow on Channel 39, WLVT- TV. "We have a plan in motion. We may not have to raise taxes in 1987."

Director of Fiscal Affairs Charles Houck added, "We have emphasized other sources of revenues - user charges and fees. And we will try to stimulate the collection of personal property taxes."

He estimated that personal property taxes will add $750,000 to the county's treasury next year - the equivalent of 1 mill. He said the county hopes to double the figure in the future.

The 1986 budget now under review by County Council calls for the real estate tax to remain, for the fourth consecutive year, at 17.9 mills.

Council member Dorothy Zug commented, "We have seen over the past several years a tightening of the belt, no increase in taxes, and computerizatio n of a lot of functions ordinarily done by people, and people leaving the county employ by attrition."

Zug pointed out that county grants are expected to support a study by the Joint Planning Commission of Lehigh-Northampton Counties of possible sites for industrial parks.

Hartzell said the county has set aside $50,000 for marketing the sites and another $55,000 for the JPC to look into the availability of land and the cost of installing sewer and water facilities and utilities.

"They are looking at five or six sites in the county, determining their price and what it would take to develop them," Hartzell said.

The administration also is awaiting a financial report by the Philadelphia accounting firm of Peat Marwick Mitchell on the financial feasibility of the county's taking over the long-planned Bushkill-Lower Lehigh joint sewer project, which could be another step in economic development of the area, Houck said.

An engineering study released last month showed the plans for the system were "based on sound engineering principles," Houck said. The Peat Marwick Mitchell report, expected by the end of the year, will permit the county to "make a more informed decision" on whether it should try to assume responsibility for the B-LL, he said.

He said that the federal government, which earlier offered a substantial grant to help pay for the sewer network - an offer which may be withdrawn at the end of 1985 - "is aware that we are running eight to 10 days late" with the financial study and may not meet thedeadline set by the Environmental Protection Agency. However, "they've waited this long" and have indicated that they could wait a bit longer, Houck said.

Hartzell cautioned that the county cannot arbitrarily step in and take over the sewer project. "The county can't proceed with the project unless the townships (which originally joined forces to plan it) cooperate," he said.

Asked if the county "planned a reassessment" of its properties with the aim of expanding its tax base, Hartzell said the administration has supported the idea of a reassessment "when we are ready. But we won't be ready until about 1987."

Houck said that about 95 percent of the county's residential properties have been loaded into the assessment division's computer and industrial and commercial properties will be added later to prepare for a reassessment.

"But to reassess properties simply to raise the tax base is not a proper use," he said. "It's akin to a shell game. The aim is to get the tax base growing with economic development."

Hartzell said in response to another query that he plans no changes in his present cabinet.

"Our administration is a good one," the county executive said. "One reason for our success is that we hired good, professional people as administrators. I haven't even given a thought to any changes. In fact, I hope they all stay."